Old habits...

I have been pretty much paper towel free for two years now. I do buy a package of cheap paper towels and they are stored in the laundry room. That was the only way I could break hubby of using paper towels and start using the dish towels.

I used to use two or 3 paper towels when I fried bacon, drained hamburgers, etc. NOW I put newspaper down and ONE paper towel on top of that. We clean windows with newspaper also.

I have TONS of dish towels. Some are old and fraying and some are new. I used the old and frayed ones for cleaning up messes (they are thrown into the basket in the laundry as soon as they are used) and the nice ones to wipe my clean hands on (put out a clean one every day).

I have a magnetic towel rack on the refrigerator and every body knows that it is to wipe your hands AFTER you wash them at the kitchen sink only. That way it doesn't get contaminated with other germs from meat, etc.

All dish towels and other towels are washed when there is a full load in hot water with bleach.

An 8-pack of cheapo paper towels lasted over 1-1/2 years!